Indicator for duplicate-sales-slip files.



M. A. LUMBARDP INDICATOR FOB DUPLICATE SALES SLIP FILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 11,1907.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

W/TA ESSES UNrTnn STATES PATENT @FFIQE.

MELVILLE A. LUMBARDfOF DES MOINES, IOWA.

INDICATOR FOR DUPLICATE-SALES-SLIP FILES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELVILLE A. LUM- BARD, of Des Moines, Polk county, Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Imrovements in Indicators for Duplicateales-Slip Files, of which the followmg is a specification.

In the use of a short account system a case or cabinet is provided wherein the sales books or files are kept, each bearing a customers name and containing duplicate sales slips whereon the customers account and the daily balances appear. These cabinets are usually of Wood and exposed to damage or destruction by fire or other means and it is customary to take ofi, daily, the cash received from a customer and the balance of the account into a book called a balance book that is kept for that purpose and which can be easily placed in the merchants safe or vault at the close of a days business.

The cabinets are made of considerable size to accommodate a large number of sales books and as it is only necessary for the bookkeeper to examine those books containing accounts which have been changed during the day, by the payment of cash or otherwise, it is desirable to provide some means whereby the book-keeper, at a glance, can ascertain what files have been removed from the case and entries made therein and to avoid the waste of time and labor in removing all'the books.

The object, therefore, of my invention, is to provide an indicating device in connection with each book or file, by means of which the person in charge of the balance book can, by glancing at the cabinet, readily determine which books have been removed during the day.

A further object is to provide an indicating device which will be set automatically when the clerk opens the book to insert the slip therein.

The invention consists generally in a tag pivoted on the back of the file and arranged to be swung down over the back when the cover is opened.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the case or cabinet wherein the files or books are kept. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the files indicating the position of the tag thereon. Fig. 3 is an end view of the file showing the osition assumed by the indicator when the fi e is inserted into Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 11, 1907.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

Serial No. 361,685.

the cabinet. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line rc:c of Fig. 3 showing in dotted lines the position assumed by the indicator when the cover of the file is raised.

In the drawing, 2 represents a case or cabinet having pigeon-holes 3 wherein the books or files for the duplicate sales slips are placed. The ends of these files project a short distance beyond the front of the case to allow the indicating tags to be plainly visible and to permit the convenient removal and insertion of the files.

4 represents one of the files having a name plate 5 in one end and provided with the usual devices for securing the sales slips in place, consisting of a spring pressed arm 5 and post 5". A tag or indicator 6, preferably of sheet metal has a flanged end that is loosely mounted on the pivot 9 of the cover hinge and normally rests on the cover, as indicated by full lines in Figs. 3 and 4, when the file is placed in the cabinet. When the clerk removes the file and raises the cover to insert a slip the indicator will swingdown in front of the file to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4, where it will be clearly visible to the person having charge of the balance book when it is desired at the end of the day to take off the balances from the sales slips of those customers who have made purchases or payments during the day. Only those files whose indicators are projected out in front of the file need be removed by the balance clerk from the cabinet, as he will understand from the position of the indicator that the accounts contained in those files are the only ones in which changes have been made during the day. The act of raising the file cover will cause the indicator to swing from its normal horizontal position resting on the cover, to a position in front of the end of the book and as the clerk must raise the cover to insert the slip the indicator must be moved to its indicating position. It is not necessary therefore to rely on the memory of the clerk to set the indicator each time a slip is inserted in the file as the act will be entirely involuntary and the setting of the indicator will be positive and must certainly be done if the file is opened, and is in no Way dependent upon the memory of the clerk.

I prefer to make the indicating device of sheet metal but do not wish to confine myself to this material, nor to the precise manner shown of pivoting it on the file, as any manner of mounting which will allow the device to assume a conspicuous position when the file is opened will be sufficient.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination, with a duplicate sales slip file and its cover, of an indicating device mounted upon the file and normally occupying a position above the cover and adapted to be swung down to a position in front of the file when the cover is raised.

2. The combination, with a duplicate sales slip file and its cover, of an angular indicating device mounted upon the file and normally occupying a position above the cover and adapted to be swung down to a position in front of the file when the cover is raised.

3. The combination, with a duplicate sales slip file and its cover, of a plate having an angular extension at one end hinged on theend of the file, said plate being adapted to amass rest upon the cover and be swung forward to a position in front of the file when the cover is raised.

4. The combination, of a duplicate sales sli file adapted to fit into the pocket of a ca inet, a cover for said file, and an indicating device hinged to the forward end of the file and normally resting upon the file cover when it is inserted into the cabinet and said indicator being moved by'the'opening of the file cover and swung to a conspicuous position in front of the file, substantially as de scribed. e

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of March 1907.

MELVILLE A. LUMBARD.

Witnesses:

CATHERINE WALTER, RosA M. MORRISON. 

